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Produce Show Daily Wednesday, June 12, 2019 4 Matrix Demonstrates Bag and Pouch Machines Matrix Packaging Machinery is featuring two flexible packaging solutions at this year's United Fresh Tec Expo. Packers, co-packers in the fresh produce industry and those interested in IQF packaging are able to visit the Matrix booth and get a demonstration of trouble-free packaging and rapid return on their investment when dealing with packaging machinery. Matrix is in booth #16024. The Morpheus servo-driven continu- ous box motion bagger form fill and seal machine is rated at up to 180 bags per minute and features automatic setup (AutoPro) capabilities that reduce changeover time and lead to higher pro- ductivity. The Morpheus offers high per- formance and a completely configurable solution for small and large bags. The high-speed jaw system allows for maxi- mum dwell time on sealing and allows for faster speeds and accuracy, making these units ideal for applications such as fresh cut and individually quick frozen (IQF) foods. The option of either a Beckhoff or AB control system offers a friendly, highly intuitive system and allows the user to quickly adjust for the perfect seal. With high performance vac- uum film pull belts and the continuous box-motion jaw, customers can run a variety of bag film types and bag sizes. The Matrix AutoPro™ seeks to reduce change-over time by using servo mechanisms to make critical adjust- ments, freeing up the operator to do the other needed tasks for change-over. The positions of the various adjustments are saved in the product recipe. All an opera- tor needs to do is replace the forming tube with the new one and load the cor- rect film. Each critical mechanical adjustment is then automatically returned to the position from the last time that job was saved. This system allows for a much faster change-over with greatly reduced film waste as compared to other continuous motion VFFS machines. The AutoPro system is an integrated part of the operating system on the Morpheus continuous motion machine. These setting are accessed from the HMI along with all the other machine set- tings, providing seamless set-up. The Toyo Jidoki TT-8D-N pre-made pouch fill and seal machine is designed for stand- up, flat bottom and fifth-panel style bags. The TT-8D-N pre- made pouch filler sealer is rated at up to 55 flat, standup and press-to-close pouches per minute. This machine is widely flexible and can produce various pouch formats and product types; it is easy to clean with its wash-down design for sanitary operation. The touchscreen controls are user-friendly for quick and efficient operation and maintenance. The TT-8D-N produces a precise and depend- able seal. Options and accessories include: date printer, air squeeze device, nitrogen gas flush, liquid filling systems, zip open/close device, ultrasonic sealing option and more. Stop by the Matrix booth #16024 for a demo during the show, or email matrix.info@promachbuilt.com for more information on packaging solutions. Sweet Knowledge: Four Consumer-Aligned Strategies to Increase Melon Sales Across demographics, consumers are buying melons – especially households with children. It's no surprise: melons are not only delicious and nutritious on their own, but also can jazz up salads, smooth- ies and drinks. Robinson Fresh ® conducted a U.S. consumer survey to gain insight into who is buying melons and what impacts pur- chasing behaviors. Using the responses, the company discovered several opportu- nities for retailers to increase melon sales. Only 14 percent of consumers buy melons weekly, and 87 percent of all con- sumers who purchase melons buy them one at a time. To encourage consumers to purchase more melons more frequently, retailers can do four things: 1. Create a strong display in a high-traffic area. How retailers display watermelons large- ly influences impulse purchases. To con- sumers, a clean, full display means there are plenty of high-quality melons to choose from – not just those picked over. Showcasing cut fruit is another way to make an impact, giving consumers a sneak peek at the fruit's interior color and texture. When they see the interior of at least one melon, they will likely assume that all mel- ons in the display are of similar quality. 2. Offer special promotions whenever supply is abundant. To drive incremental sales, encourage consumers to purchase multiple melons at one time. Nearly two-thirds of con- sumers said that two melons for a set price (e.g., 2/$6 offer) would entice them to purchase an additional melon. Allowing consumers to mix and match varieties can offer additional appeal to drive impulse sales. However, 80 percent of consumers who purchase watermelon do so for a specific holiday or occasion, like the Fourth of July or a picnic. Here, most con- sumers aren't price shopping: 85 percent said they buy watermelon at their regular store. 3. Tout peak watermelon seasons all year long. Although 70 percent of annual watermelon volume ships May through August, 44 per- cent of consumers purchase melons in all seasons. Younger demographics increas- ingly view watermelons as an all seasons fruit; it is, as melons are grown worldwide. Staggered, complementary growing sea- sons make it possible to source a continu- ous supply of fresh melons, so you can excite consumers by highlighting "peak seasons" and year-round ideas for using melons in recipes and meals. 4. Educate consumers about melon quality. Only half of melon purchasers expressed confidence in choosing a ripe fruit. Interestingly, consumers are much less likely to impulsively buy melons if they aren't comfortable selecting a "good" melon – one that is ripe, juicy, flavorful or has the right texture. To help build confidence, educate consumers on selecting melons. For example, a heavier melon is likelier to be juicy. A watermelon with a creamy-yel- low splotch is at peak ripeness. The spot is where the melon sat as it ripened; if the spot is white or pale green, it may have been picked too soon. A deep understanding of purchasing behaviors, preferences and motivations can help retailers develop consumer-centric strategies and help grow their businesses. For more information, visit www.robinson fresh.com or stop by booth #12010. AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH UNITED FRESH Kimberly Oser Publisher Jules Denton-Card Senior Associate Publisher Lorrie Baumann Editorial Director Anthony Socci Associate Publisher JoEllen Lowry • Jeanie Catron • Karrie Welborn Associate Editors Yasmine Brown Art Director Jonathan Schieffer Graphic Designer Caitlyn McGrath • Susan Stein Customer Service Managers Marcos Morhaim Senior Account Manager Tara Neal Director of Operations Jay Watson • Hannah Stefanovich Show Logistics & Distribution Enrico Cecchi European Sales Produce Show Daily is published by Oser Communications Group ©2019 All rights reserved. Executive and editorial offices at: 1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715 520.721.1300/Fax: 520.721.6300 European offices located at Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy www.osercommunicationsgroup.com Lee M. Oser Founder Why Choose DelFrescoPure? DelFrescoPure ® is an innovator and leader in the premium greenhouse pro- duce industry that grows and markets greenhouse tomatoes, peppers, cucum- bers, beans, eggplant and strawberries. DelFrescoPure now introduces LivingCube™, which offers living let- tuce, living basil and microgreens. It is family-owned and has been operating for over 60 years in Kingsville, Ontario, Canada. DelFrescoPure prides itself on the quality of its produce, unsurpassed flavor and personalized customer service. President and Chief Executive Officer Carl Mastronardi has been growing hydroponically for over 35 years. Growing in a greenhouse is very different from conventional farming. DelFrescoPure is still made up of farm- ers, but much like the rest of the world today, it uses advanced technology to improve its techniques. Its specialty is hydroponic farming; hydroponic farming is an innovative form of agriculture that involves using a soil- less medium to produce its crops. DelFrescoPure uses rock wool, which is the most widely used medium in hydro- ponic farming. Rock wool is an inert stone wool substance that is free from dis- eases or any other harmful contaminants. Growing hydroponically within a greenhouse means more control over crops, and growing indoors allows DelFrescoPure to grow for a much longer period of time, allowing the production of higher yields compared to traditional farming methods. Outdoor farming uses more water, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, while hydroponic growing allows for a stronger and more controlled environment. It can regulate the tempera- ture, humidity and much more in green- houses to better optimize the crops' abil- ity to grow. It is able to mimic the natural elements used outdoors inside green- houses; for example, bumblebees in greenhouses are used to pollinate plants. By growing in greenhouses, DelFrescoPure is able to grow produce at exponentially higher yields compared to traditional farming – this method of growing allows DelFrescoPure to grow in safe and economic conditions to sup- ply quality produce to a large population. DelFrescoPure is a true believer that you must truly love what you do in order to succeed in any environment. For Carl, growing has always been his passion. Being pioneers of the greenhouse industry, Carl and his family's commitment to freshness, taste and quality keeps DelFrescoPure invest- ed in the latest and most innovative tech- nology in the industry. DelFrescoPure brands include: LivingCube, YES!Berries Your Everyday Snack!™, Sweetreats ® , Mini Crunchers Cucumbers ® , Euro Bean The Gourmet Slicing Bean ® , Mini Mixers ® , Delights™ and Romatalia ® . Partners include local and national retailers. To learn more, visit booth #12027.